Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Senator Murray: “Today we were able to prevent a senseless government shutdown, help our Afghan allies and refugees resettle, and get relief to Washington state farmers and fishers who’ve been dealt one blow after another from the heat wave, to the drought, to a really tough wildfire season”
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) issued the following statement on Senate passage of a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 3, supply natural disaster relief to states and individuals, and help fund the relocation of Afghan refugees. The continuing resolution includes $10 billion for agricultural disaster assistance, which Washington state farmers impacted by drought, wildfires, smoke exposure, excessive heat, or other natural disasters in 2020 and 2021 are eligible for and will be able to apply for through their local Farm Service Agency office. The continuing resolution also includes $200 million in fishery disaster assistance, which could support the 8 pending fishery disaster declarations filed by Tribes and fisheries in Washington state. A senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray was instrumental in securing the disaster relief, advocating strongly to the Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize both the agricultural disaster assistance and the fishery disaster declarations.
“Today we were able to prevent a senseless government shutdown, help our Afghan allies and refugees resettle, and get relief to Washington state farmers and fishers who’ve been dealt one blow after another from the heat wave, to the drought, to a really tough wildfire season.
“Senate Republicans, however, are still not only refusing to vote to avoid the first-ever default on U.S. debts—which they acknowledge would be catastrophic—they’re also blocking Democrats from taking action ourselves. We’ve offered them opportunity after opportunity to do the right thing and protect American families’ financial security, and they still won’t lift a finger. It’s time for them to work with us or get out of the way.”
Passage of the continuing resolution follows Senate Republicans blocking a House-passed bill to suspend the debt limit in order to avoid the U.S. defaulting on its debt obligations, avoid a government shutdown, and provide funding for natural disaster aid and resettling Afghan refugees earlier this week. Continued obstruction by Senate Republicans of efforts to avoid a debt ceiling collapse are needlessly pushing the United States toward what Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen characterized as a “catastrophic” default, jeopardizing the financial security of millions.
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